Unorthodox methods for building a strong team culture

It didn’t take John Libroaperto, owner of L&L Electrical Division Pty Ltd, long to learn that there’s a difference between being a sole trader and a business owner.

First, there was the excitement of getting the business off the ground while staying on the tools. Then the colour-coded whiteboard used to coordinate the jobs got out of control. John realised he needed to step off the tools in order to grow the business and become a businessman.

Keeping it informal

As the need to spend more time in the office has increased, John has remained a firm believer in building strong relationships with staff.

“If you can’t work as a team, nothing works.” John Libroaperto

The field staff are given an understanding of office operations so they can see the entire job cycle. It gives them context and an understanding of the business as a whole.

At the end of the week it’s time to get down to the serious business of foosball and ping pong. John has noticed that staff are more likely to open up about what’s going on in the field in a social setting than any other time.

In the following video John explains the transition from the field to the office and how his informal relationship with staff enables a strong team culture.